Producteev by Jive provides a better way to work by making task management easier and more accessible for teams everywhere. Collaborate with an unlimited number of users on as many networks, projects and tasks as you want - it’s free!Download Producteev for your iPhone, Android, iPad, Mac desktop, or use it on the web, and let the Producteevity begin: www.producteev.comGet Work Done Together.Tumblr (3.0; @producteev)http://blog.producteev.com/Your Guide to Everything Producteev<p>Have you checked out our new user guide? It&#8217;s packed with all the info about Producteev features needed to help you and your team execute at top notch efficiency. Take a look: <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://www.producteev.com/userguide" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Producteev by Jive - User Guide</a></p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/91027078619http://blog.producteev.com/post/91027078619Mon, 07 Jul 2014 00:00:54 -0700MoreMondayCelebrate Freedom from Micromanagement<p>Freedom comes in all different forms, from independence of a country to independence at work. In the spirit of 4th of July this week, we wanted to highlight how Producteev can free you from micromanagement. Thanks to notification and tracking features, team members can work independently and (micro)managers can still oversee everything, but do so without bugging their team. Here&#8217;s how:</p>
<p>Ensure your team lead or micromanager of the group knows how to&#8230;</p>
<p>1. Click into a task to view details and review its activity &#8220;audit trail&#8221;</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/94fa4d7a3fa97ed8ad0c09c14bd55a06/tumblr_inline_n7a7zyh9vQ1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>2. Check out the activity overview of all tasks within a project</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/e4f281404f509b28d0c8a87eae446a86/tumblr_inline_n7a80hZY7e1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>3. Add themselves as followers to tasks they want to keep an eye on</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/f4bd5b7a5da04fa7d157311a38b88696/tumblr_inline_n7a814dhiR1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>4. Set up notifications</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/755a0c773fd7173296f7f1192576c29d/tumblr_inline_n7a81hHH491r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/465ad2fa64be0c299efd123915ee6662/tumblr_inline_n7a81uJneX1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>5. Sort and filter. Check out this post for all the tips and tricks: <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://blog.producteev.com/post/82389714931/hundreds-of-ways-to-view-your-tasks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get Work Done Together. — Hundreds of Ways to View Your Tasks</a></p>
<p>Then make it a habit to record and update all to-do items in Producteev and remind them to refer to X project when they have a question.</p>
<p>Have a happy Independence Day!</p>
<p>-The Producteev Team</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/90537103240http://blog.producteev.com/post/90537103240Wed, 02 Jul 2014 00:00:53 -0700BetterWayToWorkWednesdayHow Knowledgeable Are You?<p>Think you&#8217;ve got Producteev down? Take this quiz to find out and check <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://www.facebook.com/producteev" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://twitter.com/producteev" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> on Monday 6/30 to see if you got them right!</p>
<ol><li>To attach files, I start by clicking on the notes section of a task</li>
<li>I can chose to view all project or just projects I&#8217;m involved in</li>
<li>Everyone in a network can see every project and task</li>
<li>I am only allowed to create one Producteev network</li>
<li>If I mention someone in a post they&#8217;ll receive the same notifications around task activity as followers</li>
<li>Tasks cannot be moved</li>
<li><span>I can forward an email to </span><a class="jive-link-email-small" href="mailto:task@producteev.com" target="_blank">task@producteev.com</a><span> to turn it into a task</span></li>
<li>If I change the due date of a task, no one will know</li>
<li>I can sort tasks by their labels</li>
<li>I can try Pro features free for 14 days</li>
</ol>http://blog.producteev.com/post/90041595237http://blog.producteev.com/post/90041595237Fri, 27 Jun 2014 00:00:45 -0700FeatureFridayHow To Stay Productive During Summer<p>According to this <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2014/04/17/4-surprising-truths-about-workplace-productivity/" target="_blank">article</a> by Forbes, productivity at work drops by 20% during summer months. Not only does good weather seem to correlate with an increase in vacations, it&#8217;s reported that employees are 45% more distracted when it&#8217;s hot out. Here are a few tips from the Producteev Team on how to stay productive this summer:</p>
<ul><li>Make sure to add priorities and due dates to tasks - this will help you stay on top of what needs to be accomplished.</li>
<li>Plan your &#8220;fun&#8221; projects for the summer so you&#8217;ll <em>want </em>to get work done.</li>
<li>Take advantage of Producteev&#8217;s <a href="https://producteev.com/apps" target="_blank">mobile apps</a> and work outside for a couple of hours one day if you&#8217;re feeling antsy about being in the office.</li>
<li>Keep the office between 65 to 70 degrees.</li>
</ul><p>Happy first day of Summer this Saturday!</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/89239849674http://blog.producteev.com/post/89239849674Thu, 19 Jun 2014 00:00:39 -0700ThoughtThursdayBox + Producteev for Better Content and Task Management<p>We understand that it’s important to keep tasks and projects organized with the right content. That’s why we are excited to announce an integration with Box to help improve the way you view, share and collaborate around your content in the cloud.</p>
<p><strong>File Preview</strong></p>
<p>The new integration introduces some useful viewing functionality, including an option menu to download or preview a file from within Producteev’s web app. Powered by Box View, your Office documents, PDFs and images will be converted into HTML5 and rendered in high fidelity making them look better than ever. We’re proud to have been a launch partner for Box View at <a href="http://blog.box.com/2014/03/box-platform-powering-the-next-generation-of-enterprise-software/" target="_blank">Box Dev</a> and hope you are too.</p>
<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/07d15a216a3ed262ba7e96d22c51b8e7/tumblr_inline_n5xla1B3wf1r9y8bw.png"/></p>
<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/ee8c12bc23ddf182659a7a1f8b7c6f1f/tumblr_inline_n5xlbpXegD1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><strong>Attach Files Directly from Box</strong><a href="#_msocom_1" id="_anchor_1" name="_msoanchor_1" target="_blank"></a></p>
<p>For a more seamless experience, you can now attach files to tasks directly from your Box account without ever leaving the Producteev web app. Files can also be attached and shared with team members without having to write a note.</p>
<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/f3a29c37dd5a46a67b8fe1adb421675c/tumblr_inline_n5xldhuBnX1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://producteev.com/login" target="_blank">Login</a> to learn more about the integration and give it a try.</p>
<p>Have a Producteev week!</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/88454540184http://blog.producteev.com/post/88454540184Wed, 11 Jun 2014 00:00:56 -0700BetterWayToWorkWednesday3 Fun Facts About Producteev's Founder<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/abff3adb4822ddf39b5058d8ced2c438/tumblr_inline_n6jukgAXdE1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>1. Before Producteev, I got S#*% done by using our competitors&#8217; products&#8230;that made me start Producteev.</p>
<p>2. Besides Producteev (of course), the apps I&#8217;m addicted to are Acompli for my emails on iOS, Evernote for my notes, Whatsapp for Chat, and Sunrise for my calendar.</p>
<p>3. My tech tip is: leave your phone outside of your bedroom at night :)</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/87713548906http://blog.producteev.com/post/87713548906Tue, 03 Jun 2014 11:18:14 -0700TeamTopicTuesdayQuote of the Day <p>We couldn&#8217;t agree more with this quote by David Allen: <strong>“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.”</strong> Holding is what Producteev is for. Whether your ideas are for private or public viewing, we&#8217;ve got you covered. So go on and be brilliant!</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/87181687345http://blog.producteev.com/post/87181687345Thu, 29 May 2014 00:00:48 -0700ThoughtThursdayTask Management Software Changing the Way Teams Work Together<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/1c09a732e65bcb6b0d36f742b4dc4434/tumblr_inline_n5okxbDPyx1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p></p>
<p>As the use of task management software increases, so does the gap between the new and old way of working in teams. Gone are the days where your only option was to spend hours of your day sorting through emails, in meetings to follow up on action items, and searching through to-do lists to figure out your priorities. There’s now a better way to work, and people are starting to demand change from their employers. What are they looking for? A way to connect with each other. A way to be more efficient, spend time on things that matter, and work from anywhere.</p>
<p>While task management software is just one of the technologies changing the tone of the workplace, its impact is undeniable. Apps like Producteev enable teams to work together on projects by dividing up and collaborating on tasks in one cloud-based platform. What’s truly superior about this solution compared to old way of working in email is not just that all project content and activity is organized in one place, however. It’s that tasks are actually made actionable and team members held accountable for items assigned to them. With Producteev’s task audit trail feature, for example, everyone involved in a project has visibility into who’s responsible for a task, the status of that task, and whether or not action is being taken to complete it.</p>
<p>Other benefits of task management software include:</p>
<ol><li>The ease of finding exactly what you’re looking for via filters that allow you to sort and view tasks by project, person, category, priority, due date, task status, task type, and more.</li>
<li>Accessibility provided by apps available for a variety of devices: iPhone, Android, iPad, Mac, Outlook, and web.</li>
<li>Real time push notifications that keep you informed about task activity and remind you of upcoming due dates.</li>
<li>Integration with products like Dropbox that let you to attach files to tasks from any device.</li>
<li>The elimination of version control issues caused by people not “replying all” or responding to outdated email threads.</li>
</ol><p>And it’s not a select number of use cases this software works for. Task management apps solve business problems that extend across departments, industries and even country borders: duplication of effort, workflow inefficiencies, lack of transparency and communication, inability to find content, late deliverables, travel interference, dispersed teams, and difficulty with organization and prioritization, all of which affect productivity. </p>
<p>With technology now a deeply integrated part of our everyday lives, it’s never been more critical for companies to adopt systems that allow people to work the way they want to, using apps that make their lives easier. Task management and team collaboration software is no longer a foreign concept. It’s a proven method. It’s the new and better way to work. Thank you to all our users who help spur this change!</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/86484715181http://blog.producteev.com/post/86484715181Thu, 22 May 2014 00:00:49 -0700ThoughtThursdayPractical Productivity<p>You’ve got your to do list of tasks, priorities set, and are ready to start executing in a “Producteev” way. You start off on a roll but then you hit a task that’s a bit on the boring side. Here are some tips you won’t find in the Producteev feature section about how to be productive even when tasks are mundane.</p>
<p><strong>1. Review your goals</strong></p>
<ul><li>Sometimes it’s important to remind ourselves of how tasks, however small and unexciting, help us achieve our larger goals and enable us to work on the “fun stuff.”</li>
</ul><p><strong>2. Read your mission statement</strong></p>
<ul><li>Whether it’s for your company, department, product, or something else, reading your mission statement is a great way to get re-energized about the work you’re doing, why, and the impact it’s making.</li>
</ul><p><strong>3. Browse your company’s social media pages</strong></p>
<ul><li>This is an easy resource to turn to for inspiration. Regardless of whether the content you find is good, bad or a mixed bag, it will be motivating. </li>
</ul><p><strong>4. Add subtasks</strong></p>
<ul><li>Adding subtasks to that mundane task you’re working on can help you feel a sense of progress (and that an end is in sight) and accomplishment when you get to cross items off your list.</li>
</ul><p><strong>5. Set a target and give yourself a deadline</strong></p>
<ul><li>Most of us work faster and more efficiently when we know we need to finish x by x time (in the near future). So why not use this quality to your advantage? Set an achievable but still aggressive goal and go, go, go!</li>
</ul><p><strong>6. Reward yourself</strong></p>
<ul><li>You gotta mix things up sometimes and give yourself a break. If you employ tip #5, reward yourself for hitting your goal by allowing yourself to work on a pet project for 30 minutes.</li>
</ul><p><strong>7. Go for a quick walk</strong></p>
<ul><li>It’s been proven that walking gives you energy, makes you happy and increases creativity (among other benefits) so when you’re starting to feel sluggish and your productivity is dipping, get up for a quick lap around the office at the very least.</li>
</ul><p><strong>8. Listen to upbeat music</strong></p>
<ul><li>If all else fails, pump yourself up with some upbeat tunes!</li>
</ul>
<p>That’s all for now,</p>
<p>The Producteev Team</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/85703492429http://blog.producteev.com/post/85703492429Wed, 14 May 2014 00:00:46 -0700BetterWayToWorkWednesdayProductive, but Passionate?<p>The idea of apps and little tricks to make you instantly more productive is great and all, but can anyone really be their most productive if they’re not passionate about what they’re working on?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/3028946/find-your-passion-with-these-8-thought-provoking-questions?partner=rss&amp;utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcodesign%2Ffeed+%28Co.Design%29" target="_blank">This article</a>, by Warren Berger posted on Fast Company, does a great job of asking 8 thought-provoking questions to help you find your passion. What would you answer? Are you doing what you love?</p>
<ol><li>What is your tennis ball (the thing that pulls you)?</li>
<li>What am I doing when I feel most beautiful?</li>
<li>What is something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on?”</li>
<li>What are your superpowers?</li>
<li>What did you enjoy doing at age 10?</li>
<li>What are you willing to try now?</li>
<li>Looking back on your career, 20 or 30 years from now, what do you want to say you’ve accomplished?</li>
<li>What is your sentence (that sums up who you are and what you aim to achieve)?</li>
</ol>http://blog.producteev.com/post/85102936413http://blog.producteev.com/post/85102936413Thu, 08 May 2014 00:00:45 -0700ThoughtThursdayThe Producteev Team's Best Practices<p>While every team has their own way of doing things, there are some standard best practices to keep in mind:</p>
<p><strong> 1. Establish naming conventions </strong></p>
<p>To help keep things organized and easy to quickly find, we suggest you and your team establish and follow naming conventions for:</p>
<p>Projects</p>
<ul><li>TIP: If you work cross-functionally, it might be helpful to name projects starting with the department abbreviation.</li>
</ul><p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/3e5c8e4ecc053314bdd1cdf0523bd326/tumblr_inline_n4umm4lUOM1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>Tasks</p>
<ul><li>TIP: Use a short descriptive title, provide needed context in the notes section, and tag with a label(s) so that the task is associated to the appropriate category or workflow stage.</li>
</ul><p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/af8bbfe875ae7b377d6c0f691f2ca2d7/tumblr_inline_n4ummfR0b01r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>Labels</p>
<ul><li>TIP: To keep the number of labels under control and searches simple and comprehensive, we suggest team leads own label creation and encourage team members to use pre-existing ones whenever possible.</li>
</ul><p><strong>2. Agree upon use cases </strong></p>
<p>Who on your team should change due dates, move or delete tasks, revise assignees, etc. – or should this be up to each team member’s discretion? Figuring out and agreeing upon the usage of the following things could save everyone a headache down the road… </p>
<ul><li>Creating/editing/deleting/moving:
<ul><li>Projects</li>
<li>Permissions</li>
<li>Tasks</li>
<li>Priority level</li>
<li>Assignees</li>
<li>Due dates</li>
<li>Reminders</li>
<li>Labels</li>
<li>Followers</li>
<li>Subtasks</li>
<li>Notes</li>
</ul></li>
</ul><p><em>*<strong>Helpful hint:</strong> action taken on all of these features will be tracked in the project’s activity feed and task’s audit trail.</em></p>
<p><strong>3. Create processes </strong></p>
<p>What types of tasks warrant high priority vs. high, medium, etc.? How should tasks move through workflow stages? When should projects be private vs. open? All of these questions + more are things we recommend teams work out as they get ramped up on Producteev. This will allow everyone to be their most organized, efficient, collaborative, productive, and GET WORK DONE TOGETHER – the better way.</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/84325834721http://blog.producteev.com/post/84325834721Wed, 30 Apr 2014 08:03:20 -0700BetterWayToWorkWednesdayCelebrating Earth Day - The Producteev Way<p>Happy Earth Day All!</p>
<p>Just for fun, we asked a few of the Producteev team members what they were planning to do to celebrate Earth Day. Here&#8217;s what they said, and some answers may surprise you. Are they being serious or joking around? We&#8217;ll leave that up to you to decide&#8230;</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/4292dc50aa0a7bece47683262a9067bb/tumblr_inline_n4fth0E7jF1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/7ceaf2067e370c6ab8526aa6422d417a/tumblr_inline_n4ftil5sDX1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p></p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/859ca72537f4fb5541d6b4499792c2e4/tumblr_inline_n4fth9iTzG1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/2351961794e65bd76e6def0392ddea3d/tumblr_inline_n4ftjbgOn01r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/3cdbe4e396e8278a0ab29777f6405629/tumblr_inline_n4ftjmLDsL1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/ed87d69adc36b43eff5504b52c7522c4/tumblr_inline_n4ftjwRHRA1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>Either way, enjoy the beautiful day!<br/>-The Producteev Team</p>
<p></p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/83521307787http://blog.producteev.com/post/83521307787Tue, 22 Apr 2014 08:09:37 -0700TeamTopicTuesdayHow to Boost Morale When Your Team Is Around the World<p>Geo-dispersed teams have their perks — especially at technology companies, where it&#8217;s possible to get your work done from anywhere. The value proposition is a win-win. Leadership teams have access to top talent from anywhere in the world, and employees can even work poolside if they want.</p>
<p>The problem with geo-dispersed teams, however, is that the experience can feel lonely. No matter how you spin it, you&#8217;re all alone — you may have never met your colleagues, and you&#8217;re probably confined to your home office.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re running (or managing) a geo-diverse teams, it&#8217;s absolutely crucial to boost employee morale by forging interpersonal relationships. Here are 5 tips for getting started.</p>
<p><strong>Step 1: Incorporate plenty of face-time</strong></p>
<p>Don&#8217;t do your calls on the phone — do them on video. On a high-definition screen, it&#8217;s almost like you&#8217;re talking face to face. Phone conversations can be awkward and clunky, especially if you and your team have never met in person.</p>
<p>The more that you can make eye contact and read one another&#8217;s facial expressions, the more of a human bond you&#8217;ll be able to build.</p>
<p><strong>Step 2: Meet up in person</strong></p>
<p>Plan a fun trip somewhere as a team. Even if you&#8217;re budget-strapped, it&#8217;s extremely important that you spend time together as a group. You don&#8217;t need to do this monthly or even quarterly — once or twice a year will suffice.</p>
<p><strong>Step 3: Emulate coffee breaks</strong></p>
<p>Force each other to take breaks. Talk about what&#8217;s happening in your lives beyond work. At the office, coffee breaks are powerful for getting to know one another. When you&#8217;re part of a virtual team, you don&#8217;t have the luxury of running into your office mates in the hall or kitchen. You need to force these moments.</p>
<p><strong>Step 4: Bring your dog (or kids) to work</strong></p>
<p>Seriously — bring your baby, puppy, or kitten to your next video meeting. &#8216;Cuteness&#8217; always lightens the mood and functions as a powerful reminder that you all have awesome personal lives.</p>
<p>At some point in your life, you&#8217;ve probably bonded with a stranger on Reddit over a cat video. Imagine what real-life &#8216;cute overload&#8217; will do for your next team meeting.</p>
<p><strong>Step 5: Ask how people are feeling</strong></p>
<p>Wondering whether your team members are feeling lonely? Don&#8217;t be afraid to ask. Regular 1:1 check-ins are an absolute must. In addition to talking about work, make sure to get a handle over how your team members are doing personally.</p>
<p>Encourage your team members to be completely open and honest. Make it known that each and every person is valued and won&#8217;t be penalized for giving constructive feedback.</p>
<p><strong>Final Thoughts: Identify Gaps and Pain Points</strong></p>
<p>Happiness doesn&#8217;t happen by accident. Your team needs to work towards it. Pinpoint specific things that your employees want to fix &#8212; and fix them.</p>
<p>What lessons have you learned from being a part of, managing, or leading a geo-diverse team? Share your thoughts as a comment below.</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/82896231017http://blog.producteev.com/post/82896231017Wed, 16 Apr 2014 07:53:00 -0700BetterWayToWorkWednesdayHundreds of Ways to View Your Tasks<p>Did you know that there are literally hundreds of different ways you can view your and your teammates tasks in Producteev? That’s right. When you consider the various filter options, combinations, and the number of people and projects in your company network, lots of possibilities open up. Check it out - you can sort by:</p>
<p><strong>1. </strong><strong>Project </strong>to see all the tasks and people involved<br/><strong>2. Person </strong>to understand their workload, task progress and status<br/><strong>3. Label </strong>to view the tasks that fall into a specific category</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/ba83fc16090c7d1c53a50b834dc2196d/tumblr_inline_n3vhcnxgLV1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><br/><strong>4. Creator </strong>of tasks within a project<br/><strong>5. Title </strong>of the tasks, listed alphabetically<br/><strong>6. Priority </strong>so you can address starred tasks in order of importance<br/><strong>7. Deadline </strong>either ascending or descending by date<br/><strong>8. Creation date </strong>to view when tasks were entered and their current status<br/><strong>9. Last changed </strong>so you can see when updates were last made to a task</p>
<p><strong><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/6553f72d695c9ed477944b12152bfe2c/tumblr_inline_n3vhd8gwPg1r9y8bw.jpg"/></strong></p>
<p><strong>10. Task status</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Active</p>
<p>Completed</p>
<p>Active and Completed</p>
<p>Due today</p>
<p>Due this week</p>
<p>Late</p>
</blockquote>
<p><br/><strong>11. Task type</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Assigned to me</p>
<p>Created by me</p>
<p>I’m following</p>
<p>With files attached</p>
</blockquote>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/c2d82f58ebb6c3a845d47127d8749207/tumblr_inline_n3vhdpxaNK1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><strong>What filter(s) do you use most?</strong></p>
<p>Until next time,</p>
<p>The Producteev Team</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/82389714931http://blog.producteev.com/post/82389714931Fri, 11 Apr 2014 08:26:14 -0700FeatureFridayAnnouncing our long awaited iPad app, one-of-a kind Outlook integration, and more!<p><span>Although it’s been a while since our last update, we have been actively listening to what our community is saying on Social Media and working hard on lots of new features for Producteev. It’s safe to say that, since we joined Jive in November 2012, we’ve never been so innovative. Which brings us to today’s announcements!</span></p>
<p><span></span><strong>1. The best free Task Management App just got better: Introducing Producteev for iPad</strong></p>
<p><span>Yes, we’ve all been waiting a long time for this one, but we promise it’s been worth the wait. Producteev for iPad is fast, beautifully designed, HD, and consistent with the rest of our apps for iPhone, Android, Mac, and web. What’s better, it will come as an automatic update to the iOS app, which is now a Universal app (both for iPhone and iPad).</span></p>
<p>With iPads now part of our workflow, and quickly replacing desktop computers for a lot of workers around the world, we are confident that this great addition to our suite of apps will be a winner!</p>
<p><span> </span>All that said, pictures are worth a thousand words, so here you go:</p>
<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/abacc451ba1fcce536e602d6f1135726/tumblr_inline_n30mo3p5zA1r9y8bw.png"/></p>
<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/82b7048785fa7e3dcc897e816801dd87/tumblr_inline_n30mt1kIG71r9y8bw.png"/></p>
<p><span>Download the iPad app today from the App Store: </span><a class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/producteev-by-jive-free-task/id306289289?mt=8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/producteev-by-jive-free-task/id306289289?mt=8</a></p>
<p><span><strong>2. </strong><span><strong>Productivity on Outlook just got easier: Introducing Producteev Task Management integration on Outlook</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span>For a few years now, Outlook users have been asking us for a better way to handle their task, which makes us extremely proud to announce our one of a kind Task Management integration for Outlook.</span></p>
<p> With this integration, we’ve bridged the gap between email, calendar and tasks. In a unique way, Producteev for Outlook (available on Windows for Office 2007, 2010 and 2013) allows you to transform your email client into an actionable and collaborate inbox. Now, for the first time, you can:</p>
<ul><li><span>Turn emails into tasks and assign them to team members.</span></li>
<li><span>Include action items in emails which Sync to Producteev.</span></li>
<li><span>Schedule time to work on your tasks right in your Outlook calendar.</span></li>
<li><span>Use Outlook as your desktop companion for your Producteev tasks, with seamless access to projects, people, and task tracking.</span></li>
</ul><p> See for yourself:</p>
<p><span><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/3029a91af1973073e2803e06cd38e0fe/tumblr_inline_n30mr2IhIC1r9y8bw.png"/></span></p>
<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/897b61761f03832f8eef16cc0d90a064/tumblr_inline_n30mrjTP371r9y8bw.png"/></p>
<p><img alt="image" src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/625f68b76e8c3a75893b40479c94f7e8/tumblr_inline_n30mrw8pif1r9y8bw.png"/></p>
<p><span>Download our brand new Outlook integration here: </span><a class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://di0skkm50b972.cloudfront.net/apps/outlook/producteev-for-outlook.exe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://di0skkm50b972.cloudfront.net/apps/outlook/producteev-for-outlook.exe</a></p>
<p><span> </span><strong>3. Producteev’s offering just got bigger: Introducing Premium plans with Enterprise Grade features</strong></p>
<p> Due to popular demand, we’ve rolled out new Premium plans for Producteev with Enterprise Grade features including Outlook integration, personalized support, and network interface customization. All our users can try the Outlook integration and Interface customization for FREE for 14 days! Login to your Producteev account to start your trial.</p>
<p> To learn more about our Premium plans, visit <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://www.producteev.com/pricing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.producteev.com/pricing</a>.</p>
<p> One closing note: If you are an Outlook user and are excited about this integration, make sure to ACT FAST on our “<strong>Early Bird” plan</strong> <strong>priced at just $899 for lifetime access</strong> to Producteev for Outlook and network interface customization – <strong>it’s only available to the first 300 customers</strong> who purchase it! Buy it directly from here : https://producteev.com/settings/premium</p>
<p><span>Thanks for the ongoing support guys, and hope you like the news!</span></p>
<p><span>Ilan and the Producteev by Jive Team.</span></p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/80782372371http://blog.producteev.com/post/80782372371Wed, 26 Mar 2014 08:26:28 -0700Life Hacks to Simplify Your Workday: Solopreneur Edition<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/af8565e65d5e50c6dd4f95d4206644dc/tumblr_inline_n28ordc4qU1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p><span>As a solopreneur, you&#8217;re probably the worst boss you&#8217;ve ever had. Between running sales, managing clients, maintaining accounting systems, </span><em>and doing all the work</em><span>, you probably work close to 12 hour days.</span></p>
<p>You lose out on sleep — you drive your loved ones bonkers. No matter how rough it gets, however, you feel like you&#8217;re trapped. After all, you do have to do <em>everything</em>.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t fall into this trap. Even if you&#8217;re a one-person-shop, you can still simplify your crazy, crazy days. Save time and restore your sanity by implementing the following productivity hacks.</p>
<p><strong>1. Get a Virtual Assistant</strong></p>
<p>Services like <a href="http://www.zirtual.com/" target="_blank">Zirtual </a>are available to help you streamline administrative tasks — which really add up. If your job involves scheduling, basic research, or grunt work, get someone else to do it. It may feel weird at first, and you may not feel great about spending hundreds of dollars per month, but here&#8217;s the thing. A virtual assistant will save you time — freeing up your schedule to do more work (or get more sleep).</p>
<p><strong>2. Limit Your Meetings</strong></p>
<p>Especially if you work with clients, you&#8217;re probably tempted to hop on calls. Resist the urge.</p>
<p>Meetings disrupt your ability to focus — and get real work done. Try to cut down your meetings, or keep them condensed to 20 minutes max. You can start by creating meeting agendas to help structure your time.</p>
<p><strong>3. Create &#8216;Focus&#8217; Blocks</strong></p>
<p>Block off your calendar to sit and focus. No meetings. No distractions. No Facebook. Give yourself dedicated chunks of time to truly sit down and power through your piles of work, emails, and whatever else is bogging down your day.</p>
<p><strong>4. Communicate with Your Clients</strong></p>
<p>Your clients care about you &#8212; more than you realize. If you think you&#8217;re going to miss a deadline, don&#8217;t over-stress yourself. Get your client on the phone. Talk to her. See if you can reach a good solution together. Take control of your time, and don&#8217;t let pressure eat you alive.</p>
<p><strong>5. Learn to Say No</strong></p>
<p>Entrepreneurs have a tendency to over-commit. Resist this urge by under-committing — and set strict guidelines for yourself. Make a spreadsheet for yourself if you have to.</p>
<p>Learning to say no will feel extremely weird at first. It takes practice, but with time, it will get easier.</p>
<p><strong>Final Thoughts: Put Your Plan on Paper</strong></p>
<p>Take the time to write out your thoughts. Make a spreadsheet— seriously. You may not have a boss to manage your performance, but you need to self-regulate. Having a track record of your improvement. Give yourself a performance review. Do whatever it takes to hold yourself accountable.</p>
<p>Simplifying your workday means taking control of your life — and easing up a bit. This is a priority. Everything else can wait.</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/79196976130http://blog.producteev.com/post/79196976130Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:23:43 -07003 Tips for Staying On Top of Overflowing Email Inboxes<p>Many people use their email as a sort of to-do list, knocking off tasks reactively as they go through their messages one-by-one. And to some extent it makes sense; their inbox is constantly overflowing with email and they&#8217;re fighting to regain control.</p>
<p>However, this approach can be a huge productivity drain that not only distracts them from the bigger picture, but also means they&#8217;re allowing other people to dictate their work days, rather than ceasing the reigns and structuring their days strategically.</p>
<p>Here are three tips to help you take control of your inbox &#8212; before it takes control of you.</p>
<p><strong>1. Remember that Not All Email is Created Equally</strong></p>
<p>The first thing to realize is that not every email is created equally. As a business owner, an email from a client is likely much more urgent than one from another company pitching their services. It&#8217;s important to have a system in place &#8212; whether manual or automated &#8212; to prioritize emails so that urgent ones don&#8217;t get buried.</p>
<p>One solution is an app called Sanebox, which creates a new folder called SaneLater in your email. Over time, the app begins learning which emails you tend to prioritize over others. The app then places emails it deems as low priority into your SaneLater folder, and sends a summary at the end of the day of all emails placed there. This way, only high priority messages ever show up in your inbox, giving you the peace of mind you need to get on with real work. Low priority messages can then be processed systematically at a later time.</p>
<p><strong>2. Use Apps to &#8220;Do It&#8221; or &#8220;Defer It&#8221;</strong></p>
<p>David Allen, author of the popular productivity book Getting Things Done, coined the &#8220;do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it&#8221; principle. The &#8220;do it&#8221; part suggests that if a task will take under two minutes to complete, that it is best to take action on it immediately. The same principles can be applied to email.</p>
<p>To help your respond to emails in under two minutes, try Google&#8217;s Canned Responses feature for Gmail, which allows you to create template responses for common inquiries. And if an email contains a task that will take longer than two minutes, try an app like Clear Context, a plugin for Outlook, which allows you to instantly convert any email into an actionable task on your calendar.</p>
<p><strong>3. </strong><strong>Consolidate Your Subscriptions</strong></p>
<p>When you sign up for a new software tool, conference or white paper, you&#8217;re often opting in to subscribe to emails, such as newsletters and promotions. Even if they are interesting and helpful, in most cases you should not be reading these emails right away. They can also clutter up your inbox and cause you to miss other important messages. To prevent subscriptions from getting out of hand, use an app like Unroll.me to organize them, which will consolidate all your subscriptions into a daily or weekly &#8220;rollup&#8221;. Unroll.me can also be used to mass-unsubscribe from emails you&#8217;re no longer interested in.</p>
<p>So don&#8217;t let your email dictate your workday. Cease control by keeping your inbox free of clutter so that you can focus on more important work.</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/77110670052http://blog.producteev.com/post/77110670052Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:59:43 -08005 Helpful Tips for Managing a Project or Team Remotely<p>Welcome to the new age of co-working where teams are no longer geographically bound within office walls. We can now enjoy anywhere, anytime access to our team, projects and files thanks to the cloud. But the challenges of ensuring that your team is meeting deadlines and your project stays within budget still exist no matter where you or your team are. Throw in language barriers, cultural differences, different time zones and increased difficulty in monitoring performance, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. With a little effort and understanding, your remote team can work as efficiently as your in-office team. Here&#8217;s how.</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/9d6374cc34b2817f41addbc09322c455/tumblr_inline_my100iyhP61r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>1) <strong>Spend extra time getting to know your team.</strong> Before you do anything else on a remote project, understand who your team is, what their roles are, what they have done for the company previously, and where they are located. This will help you best allocate your resources and manage your team&#8217;s time. Sharing a file with people outside of who necessarily needs to see it and work on it will only serve to confuse your team and hinder progress. Worse yet, holding a conference call for the entire team where only a few members are needed will waste everyone&#8217;s time and may send out the wrong message that you yourself don&#8217;t know how to run the project.</p>
<p>2) <strong>Set goals within the team early on.</strong> This is especially important when managing remote projects as working towards common goals will help unite a disparate group. Don’t leave any details to the imagination, either — include desired colors, fonts, outcomes, and samples. This will help serve as a specifications documents for your team to reference. It’s also helpful to include desired outcomes, use cases, and a Q&amp;A section. The closer you can get your specifications documents to the outcome, the better.</p>
<p>3) <strong><strong>Don&#8217;t be afraid to pick up the phone.</strong></strong> Collaboration in the cloud has helped move us forward and out of an archaic business communication system. But sometimes, nothing beats a good-old-fashioned blaring ring of a phonel. If a certain teammate has become unresponsive on shared documents, email, or the company chat, don&#8217;t hesitate to pick up the phone and call. There may be some unforeseen issues that a simple phone call can help clarify!</p>
<p>4) <strong>Get the right tools for the job.</strong> Once you’ve got the people, plan and goals in place, you will need the right tools to help support collaboration and knowledge transfer throughout the project. We suggest a combination of the following:</p>
<ul><li>Social intranet platform for sharing and collaborating on documents (like <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://www.jivesoftware.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jive Software</a>)</li>
<li>A task management tool to share and assign tasks (such as <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://www.producteev.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Producteev</a>)</li>
<li>Conferencing and online meeting services for remote meetings</li>
<li>Instant messaging tools (we&#8217;re partial to <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://www.adium.im/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adium</a>)</li>
<li>File sharing tools (<a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://www.box.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Box</a>, <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://www.dropbox.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dropbox</a>)</li>
</ul><p>With these tools in place, no matter where you and your team are working from, you will be able to still keep things on track.</p>
<p>5) <strong>Keep the team updated in real time.</strong> Nothing hurts more than knowing that you are working on something that has already been done. Communication is key in keeping all teammates on the same page during each phase of the project in order to maximize output from the team and minimize disruptions to productivity. Status updates from team members help communicate what tasks have been completed and what else needs to be done.</p>
<p>Your remote projects can run smoothly and efficiently if you do your due diligence ahead of time and keep communication open and flowing throughout the entire duration of the project!</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/69699323052http://blog.producteev.com/post/69699323052Wed, 11 Dec 2013 08:57:00 -0800How to plan your work week after a long holiday<p><img alt="image" src="http://media.tumblr.com/13d38e7f09cba268eec07f970bf282f8/tumblr_inline_mx8ym3K80z1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>Welcome back! Did you have a great time with friends, family and loved ones this Thanksgiving? Excellent! Now you can start digging yourself out of at least half a week of work. <span class="emoticon-inline emoticon_happy"></span> Take the initiative to organize yourself and your work to avoid the post-vacation burnout.</p>
<ol><li><strong>Catch up on corporate communications.</strong> Sit down, focus and start from the bottom up. One of the biggest things to tackle when you come back from vacation is managing your overflowing inbox (still using email?), notifications from your social collaboration platform, or updates on your task management app activity stream. Once you have understood what has happened (or hasn&#8217;t happened) with your projects you can better organize your time for the work ahead.</li>
<li><strong>Create two task lists, personal and work-related</strong>, of all the projects and items that require your immediate action this week. Pay special attention items that have deadlines, require action from others or a group meeting. Add due dates to tasks and get reminders in your email or push notifications on your mobile devices to stay on top.</li>
<li><strong>Set priorities on each task</strong> so you know which ones need to be completed now vs. &#8220;now now.&#8221; This saying comes from a buddy of mine who used to live in Kenya. Kenyan time dictates that if someone says the bus is coming NOW, you have about 15 minutes before it arrives. If the bus is coming NOW NOW, you have about 3-5 minutes. If the bus is coming NOW NOW NOW, it&#8217;s already left. Hah! A pretty good joke for a Monday, right? No? Ok, moving on.</li>
<li><strong>Break up tasks into more manageable sub-tasks</strong>. A task like &#8220;Complete and submit RFP for Company XYZ&#8221; seems daunting. Break that down into steps like &#8220;1) Set up meeting with legal to review RFP guidelines, 2) Set up call with engineering team to recap technical product specifications, 3) Determine pricing with product and deployment team, 4) Compile list of 3 customer case studies, 5) Complete template and submit RFP to Company XYZ by Dec 31st, 2014&#8221; and sweet success seems that much closer!</li>
<li><strong>Delegate, delegate, delegate.</strong> Take a look at the sub-tasks ahead of you and see who you can assign them to in order to help you complete your projects faster. Utilize colleagues or outsource work to freelancers with services like <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://www.odesk.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">odesk</a> to get organized and lessen the load. If you can’t delegate things at the office, delegate what you can in your household. Technology is always your friend with this as several apps can help you with securing resources and overall project management. Services like <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://www.taskrabbit.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TaskRabbit</a> act like virtual personal assistants to help lighten the stress from everyday chores like cleaning the house, doing the laundry or balancing your bank statements. Or try <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="https://www.google.com/shopping/express/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Shopping Express</a> and have everything on your shopping list delivered to your front door by the time you get home!</li>
</ol><p>It&#8217;s easy to become overwhelmed when you return to work from a long vacation, but with these simple tips you&#8217;ll bounce back in no time!</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/68902160705http://blog.producteev.com/post/68902160705Tue, 03 Dec 2013 12:08:00 -0800productivitytips Tips for leading great meetings<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/a4399fa626e1dc3e00fb49a0b3833a5f/tumblr_inline_mwmpku3PXR1r9y8bw.jpg"/></p>
<p>Ever get stuck in meetings that drag on and on and get virtually <span><em>nothing</em></span> accomplished? We&#8217;ve all been on the phone during conference calls where we go through the weather forecast, weekend plans or baby announcements from each and every single participant before anyone even begins talking about what needs to be talked about! There is a time and place for catching up and unfortunately project meetings are neither of those. Don&#8217;t be annoying; be that person everyone refers to as the boss that <em><span>gets $#!% done</span>!</em></p>
<p><strong>Make an agenda. Stick to it.</strong></p>
<p>Even if you aren&#8217;t 100% sure what you need to talk about during the meeting, bullet point a few top line tasks and leave room for discussion later on. Address the agenda once everyone (or enough) people are in the meeting to get the ball rolling.</p>
<p><strong>Set meeting end times to 5 minutes before the top of the hour/half hour.</strong></p>
<p>This is a trick I learned from Project Managers at Google. Set meetings to end at the :25 or :55 hour mark as meetings always (I debated between saying tend to or typically, but this happens too often to not be considered a truth) run late. We get caught up in debate or just plum lose track of time&#8212;those 5 extra minutes are crucial to making sure you wrap up everything that needs to be discussed in the meeting and that you don&#8217;t 1) make your participants late for other meetings or 2) make people who are waiting for your conference room late for their meeting. If we all become a little more conscious of others time as well as our own we&#8217;ll prevent that snowball effect of late meetings that really throw off everyone&#8217;s day.</p>
<p><strong>Remind everyone how much time we have in the meeting and address heftiest item LAST.</strong></p>
<p>This requires a little bit of planning. Like, 2 minutes of looking at your agenda to determine what will most likely drive the bulk of the conversation. And while it seems counter-intuitive, you will actually accomplish more by getting the little things out of the way and saving the latter half of your meeting for the big discussions. The time constraint might even encourage faster resolution. We hope.</p>
<p><strong>Thank your participants for their time.</strong></p>
<p>It&#8217;s a small and simple gesture that shows your appreciation for people meeting today (which is a rarity what with the advent of this thing called the &#8220;Cloud&#8221; and &#8220;Social Collaboration&#8221;). Understand that everyone has taken time out of their busy schedule to meet you at this specific date and time. Don&#8217;t hold them up and don&#8217;t waste their time lest they dismiss your meetings in the future&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>Take things offline when available.</strong></p>
<p>Simple rule&#8212;if it doesn&#8217;t pertain to at least 90% of the participants of the meeting, table it and take it offline. Make a note of when you will be following up with participants, create another separate meeting if needed or collaborate online.</p>
<p>Remember that one meeting that left you stunned at how efficient and productive it was? Let&#8217;s make that EVERY meeting.</p>
<p>Love,<br/>Your Partners in Productivity</p>http://blog.producteev.com/post/67679527455http://blog.producteev.com/post/67679527455Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:46:59 -0800tips